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Complaints about the major airlines are plentiful. What's a little unusual about Delta is how angry some of its best customers are -- those who've reached stratospheric in the SkyMiles program, for example. These are the 100,000-mile flyers that every airline swears it will do anything to retain. Delta certainly has an odd way of showing it.
We'd say the comments below pretty well sum it up.
Tolga of Istanbul OTHER (07/04/08)
We missed our plane in LAX on 30 June 2008 while we were waiting for check in. Although we came to airport 75 minutes prior to our flight, we could not complete our check in since there were two desk operating and there was a long que. Although we have applied to the operating desks by-passing the cue, we were declined and forced to be waited in the que in a very rude manner.
Within the working two check in desks, they serve people min 20 min. Finally we reached the operating desks but they refused complete our check in sice we have 40 min left. We were only given a choice to buy tickets for the next day which costed us usd 450 (our total ticket fee was usd 596). We pay usd 150 for the ticket fare and usd 300 penalty. We were penalized unfairly. Also we had to pay a no-show fee to the Hotel which we made rezervation in Seattle. We had another flight to europe following date this caused us too much stress.
550$, stress to cath the connecting flight, sleppless night
Vishal of Cincinati OH (06/29/08)
i have a connecting flight from cincinnati to newark at 4:40 pm 28 jun. i have main flight from newark to delhi at 8:30 pm. My flight delat from cincinanti to newark is delyaed from 4:40 pm to 7:15pm, due to which i was not able to board my flight from newark to delhi. Now delta airlines in not even compensating me for a day. My next flight is after one day. I want delta should provide me accomodation and food.
Chris of Chino CA (06/25/08)
Purchased roundtrip tickets LAX to MZT, Mexico. On the return flight Delta employees shut the check-in counter early to ensure that two employees on standby would be ensured seats on the 50 passenger plane to back LAX. after tracking down a Delta employee he wasn't able to board wife and myself with over an hour before the flights scheduled depature. The employee and his Supervisor (Jesus Cardenas) were also unable to reschedule a flight within the next two days and were going to charge for the flight back to LAX and make me pay penalty. The were not willing to pay anything, I ended up buying two tickets from Alaska Air to come back home for $720.
I paid an extra $720 to fly back home. After paying Delta $943 for roundtrip tickets, which we only used half of. I wouldn't want anything except my money back from Delta for the flight I was not given the chance to take, due to their employees lack of customer service.
Olga of Canton OH (06/12/08)
Last year I was traveling from Moscow to Cleveland on July 26th 2007. I am a student and also a teaching assistant at the international program at the University. I was supposed to be there on July 26th. My adventure started in Moscow when it took Delta representatives almost a half hour to search my baggage. In my bag, I had a bottle of honey and some medicine prescribed by a doctor. They took these bottles for the expertise and I had to wait. Everybody behind me in a line got on the plane. When they finally let me go to check in my baggage, a delta representative told me that it was too late ad I could not get on a plane because it was leaving in 20 minutes! I panicked and started crying, I didnt know what to do. I asked the representatives of Delta to help me, but they footballed me around from one person to another.
Finally, they told me that there was a ticket available for the next days flight for almost twice as much as I had paid for my own ticket. I didnt have that sum of money, I started crying again and bagging for help. Finally, they told me that I had to pay $200 for next days flight in addition to $900 that I had already paid for the flight I couldnt get on! It was the only option I could choose from, so I paid! Because I didnt have a place to stay in Moscow (I am a student and cannot afford paying for a hotel in Moscow), I had to spend a night in the airport. Next day I finally got on the plain. I had a connecting flight from N.Y. Kennedy to Cleveland. When I arrived at the Kennedy airport in New York, my connecting flight to Cleveland was cancelled until the next day because of the weather conditions. As it was not their fault Delta didnt provide a hotel, and I had to spend another night in the airport!
Next day I had to go to Newark to catch my connecting flight to Cleveland. In Newark I found out that my flight was cancelled again because of some technical problems and they reregistered me for a flight to Atlanta so that I could catch a connecting flight to Cleveland from Atlanta. I got on board for my flight to Atlanta. When I arrived to Atlanta, my flight was late. I ran as fast as I could with a heavy hand-bag to catch the flight to Cleveland. There were several people running with me, but it was late anyway, the plane had already taken off. It was 10:00 pm. I was exhausted, dirty, stressed, and hysterical. I started crying again, because it was beyond my physical and moral capacities.
When I came to a Deltas representative, they rescheduled my flight to Akron (instead of Cleveland) for the following day and finally game me a room in a hotel. This time I spent a night in a hotel. As most of the rooms were already taken, they gave me a smoking room, and I dont smoke. It was absolutely terrible! I couldnt sleep normally and was suffocating with coughing all night. Next day I finally got on a plane and came to Akron. It was July 29th. I had missed a very important meeting on July 27th. On July 30th I was supposed to start teaching.
During that trip from Moscow to Akron I lost around 10 pounds. My stomach was messed up because of eating fast food. I was stressed and depressed. More than that, I got sick with bronchitis. I couldnt work and study effectively. It took me more than two months to get back to my normal condition. But because I lost almost half of the semester being sick and depressed, I could not catch up on. I was supposed to graduate in December, but I could not finish my exit work on time, so I had to ask for the extension. I only defended my thesis in May, 2008. I WILL NEVER FLY with Delta again!
$200 that I had to pay in Moscow so that Delta could put me on the next-day flight. I still have soumach problems and pain in the back.
Andrew of San Francisco CA (06/04/08)
I planned a last minute trip to Halifax to attend a friends 40th birthday party through Expedia.com. The airline ticket I purchased would have had me arriving into Halifax at 9pm time and I had someone picking me up to take me to the party. I was going San Francisco-Cincinnati-Detroit-Halifax The first leg of my trip was Delta flight 1854 San Francisco to Cincinnati was on time. Unfortunately, the next leg of the trip Cincinnati to Detroit on Delta flight 1854 was not on time. When I arrived at the gate I was told the flight was delayed.
I waited about 20 minutes and then went back to find out if it was going to be able to make my final connecting flight from Detroit to Halifax. At this time I was told that I was rebooked to go from Detroit to Halifax the following day, as I would not be in time to catch the next leg of my flight, Delta flight 6874. I told the customer service rep that this wouldnt work, that I needed to be in Halifax tonight or not at all. At this point they printed a ticket out for a 9pm flight back to San Francisco, obviously this didnt make me happy but I was told there were no other options into Halifax for that night so my options were non-existent. The ticket I was given said check in required so I went to the desk and they told me to just to return 1 hour before the flight.
So, now I had 5 hours to spend in the airport, I had left San Francisco at 630am, it made for a very long day for me, especially since I never did get to my destination. During my many hours at the airport a representative from Delta airlines called me and inquired as to why my ticket showed be going back to San Francisco. I explained to her the details and she apologized to me and confirmed with me that I was indeed on the 9pm back to San Francisco. At 8pm, 1 hour and 10 minutes before the flight to San Francisco was to leave, I went back to the gate and was told there was a problem, that I was not in fact booked on this flight and I had to go back to customer service to have it straightened out. I was at customer service about 30 minutes and they finally printed me out a ticket for the flight.
At this point I went back to the gate and tried to board the plane. I was in line and was called and told to come to the counter for an important message. The service desk that had just issued me the ticket was on the line to let me know that if I take this flight Delta has fulfilled their end of the deal. It goes without saying that after spending over 6 hours at the airport and making countless trips to the customer service desk, boarding gates and making calls to Delta that to wait until it was almost 9pm AND the flight was leaving AND there were NO other options for me, to JUST then being told that I was going to be screwed over was just the most appalling customer service I have ever experienced.
I actually feel I dealt with the delays and all pretty well, even after wasting the better part of a day of my life in Cincinnati airport and never getting to where I wanted to go. But at the eleventh hour for Delta to get around to telling me they were going to wash their hands of this whole flight if I wanted to go back homeI cannot and WILL NOT get over. I also had a hotel that was non-refundable that I spent $345.78 on that I am requesting you refund to me for your lack of fulfilling your obligation to get me to Halifax.
I was NOT looking for a free roundtrip ride to Cincinnati airport, I was paying $1500 to get to Halifax and back. I am also including the reservation from the Sheraton 4 Points hotel in Halifax that I paid for but was unable to use.
Jane of Evansville IN (06/03/08)
I am writing again concerning our flight from St. Louis to Cancun, MX. We arrived a day early as to make our flight May 30, 2008. Upon arriving we checked in at the ticket desk, grabbed a breakfast snack and went to the security check in. Due to the fact that my husband has two artificial hips he was pulled to the side so he could personaly be checked. This took sometime for someone to come from the line so he could be patted down and again scanned with the hand held scanner. Due to his problem he is unable to walk very fast.
Our flight was at 7:25 am and we arrived at approximatley 7:20 with our boarding passes in our hand to board flight #0944. The boarding clerk looked at us with a discussed look and told us we were to late to board the plane (WHICH WAS STILL SITTING AT THE GATE AND THE BOARDING DOOR WAS STILL OPEN). (IS THERE NOT A PORCEDURE THAT A LAST CALL IS MADE IF SOMEONE HAS NOT BOARDED? WE HEARD SEVERAL BUT OUR NAME WAS NOT CALLED) She made a phone, call, I'm thinking maybe to the plane and went over and slammed the door and made another call to the ticket desk to let someone know that we would be up to make different arrangements for a different flight.
We went back up to the ticket desk, but there were no other flights going out that day to make connections to Cancun. The only thing they had for the next day was seats in first class which cost us $520.00 extra in addtion to what we had already paid Bookit.com for tickets. After paying for our tickets we had to call the hotel and see if they would have a room for us againg for another night, which they did and so they came back over to the airport and picked us up. This cost us another $44.88 for the room and another $8.00 for parking. (WE HAD TO SPEND AND ADDITIONAL $749.88) because of not only the slowness of the security department but the rudeness of the boarding clerk, and the fact that our flight was still sitting at the gate, not moving.
We are both retired and money is something we do not take lightly. We would appreciate compensation in the amount extra money we had to put out. The fact that ourcomplaint was put on the web, This is just not satisfactory. It would be greatly appreciated if we were compensated for the 2 first class tickets we had to pay for, our 1 night additional stay and parking for our automobile for an additional night and for the cost of $137.00 for the dinner cruise we missed because of arriving a day late, which was the day of the cruise.
The total amount is $749.88. As you responded to us by e-mail on May 13, 2009, you don't have to post this again, just a response from one of your staff about what your company will do about this problem. I, also, be sending a letter to the Better Busness Burea in Atlanta, as this seem to be the only way we were able to get a response from the booking department in Florida.
Yelena of Santa Clara CA (06/02/08)
While using Delta I had the worst experience Ive ever had using any airline before. My 80-years old father and I were travelling from San Francisco To Budapest on May 2 . We departed on Flight 1 from SFO to JFK in time but arrived to New York 1 hour later due to weather conditions and from there our troubles began.
When we landed we still had 30 minutes to get to the connecting flight to BUD but we could get out of the plane only in 15 min., so we rushed to the connecting Gate to catch Flight 98 to Budapest. We reached it exactly at 7:15 but the plane already took-off. It didnt wait even a minute thought the flight attendants on our plane to JFK assured us that it would wait. Ok.
We ran to the transfer desk, people there were very, very slow, but finally we got stand-by tickets to Amsterdam and then transfer to BUD by Malev. Again we arrived to Amsterdam more than 1 hour late. And here the most outrageous happened. When we landed flight attendants announced that the passengers who go to BUD will be met by the representative at the exit door and will be taken by the cart to Malev gate.
When we exited the airplane, a very polite guy said the cart had left already (not waiting for all passengers to exit, and you remember I was with 80 years old) and recommended us to walk to Malev , assuring us the plain is waiting for us. Do you know how huge the Amsterdam airport is? It took us 15 minutes of very fast walking, almost running to reach Malev just to hear that the airplane had left already.
I wont write anymore how much time, effort and energy it took us to go back to Delta gate and then back to Transfer Desk and then to Malev gate. My father and I were exhausted, and almost fainting when we finally got on a plane to our final destination. It was not surprise; we didnt get our luggage after all. After several telephone calls from Budapest and US to Delta, finally we got our luggage on the next day in the evening.
To add more, the local plane from SFO to JFK and JFK to SFO was very uncomfortable. I got sick after the flight back home to SFO. In the future Ill try to avoid flying Delta as much as possible.
Emotional stress. had to purchase clothes before the luggage arrived.
Ileana of Satu-Mare OTHER (05/17/08)
I was fliying by flight 098 from New York to Budapest on 16th May with my husband and all began wrong. I had to go and put my carry on far from my seat, being heart-sick I needed my medicine because others passengers occupied the carry on stall with bigger baggage and lap tops,the restroom was a bit uncomfortable and the toilet paper run out quickly, moreover the food was little. I m sorry ,this was my second flight by Delta ,the first was on 30th April but that one was pleasant.
[They] shouldn't let people with more than 1 bagagge on planes and as a rule they would have use only the bagagge-stall above their seats.Then [they] shouldn t let drunk people on planes because they disturb others with rude behaving arguing with the other passengers.One of these kind of man yelled to me ,not to put above him my bagagge, I didn t call for the flight attendant because I hate arguing with drunkers.
I haven t got any damages, only we had to endure the Hungarian drunk passengers but next time I will surely think of [not] to fly by [Delta] planes.
Danny of Edinburg TX (05/17/08)
I and my wife and daughter took a flight from Santiago, Chile to Atlanta Georgia - flight DL 146 on May the 12th. My wife was seating by the window in seat 22G and my daughter in 22F by the aisle. I was seating by myself in 22E, which was also by the aisle across from my daughter. Which she is married and has three children and currently in marriage counseling. There was one male stewart's while serving food was flirting with my daughter and wife, later he returned to them and knelling in the floor at my daughter's seat and continued to talk and flirt. He did not know that I was the father and husband seating to his right side. Naturally, my anger continued to grow as they talked. I did make a little scene by moving him to one side and saying excuse me with a anger tone. I went to the restroom and I asked the stewardess. I thought that would solve the problem.
Shortly again, he came by and told her to meet him in 10 minutes. Knowing that I was in the economy section and thinking I was asleep. He met with my daughter later again in the first class kitchen where I or her was not even supposed to be allowed. I could not believe his defiance. After several hours, an Anglo stewards came and broke it up. She must of realized that I was upset when I also ask her what was his name. I do not excuse my daughter for her actions, but his actions was definitely unprofessional. I can't believe that Delta airlines would allow such actions of one of their employees on company time. I was extremely hurt by these actions while being on [this] airline.
Extreme family complications!
Hyewon of New York NY (05/14/08)
I flew from JFK to LAX using Delta 605 on May 12, 2008. Even though my flight was supposed to leave JFK at 11:30, it took off at 1:30. Delaying is not new with Delta, so Ill just live with it. But what was not acceptable happened later on the plane. It was not just a bad service I am complaining about. It is my basic customers right and dignity that was violated when I was humiliated by the purserette of Delta 605. As everyone ever used Deltas domestic flights knows, their planes are really small. For this reason, there are only three restrooms on the planeone at the front, two at the back. Since first and business seats are located at front, almost 150 passengers in couch seats have to share these two bathrooms at the back. Not surprising there is always a long line. Since I am terribly airsick, it is always challenging to me to wait in line at the back of the flight. On Delta 605, I felt quite sick, so I had to use the bathroom immediately. So, I concluded that it should be better for me to use the bathroom at the front, which usually has shorter line. The bathroom was occupied, so I had to wait. Yes, in the first/business seat area.
But, about one second later, a flight attendant named Heather, who I believe to be the purserette given her red uniform, and who looked very upset with me for some reason, stood up and asked what I was doing there. I told her that I am waiting to use the bathroom. You cant stay here. Go back and wait behind the curtain,? she said with an offensive voice pointing her finger at me. I felt pretty insulted, but I did what I was told because I didnt want to bother other innocent passengers by confronting her. But, when a person from a business seat approached the restroom and stood there to wait for her turn, Ms. Heather did not told her that there is another person ahead of her as I expected. So, I stepped down and approached the front to let her know that I am in line. However, right at the moment I put my foot into the business seat area, she stood up again and told me with an even higher and more offensive voice Stay behind the curtain!?
I am not sure if Delta has policies that ban their couch seat passengers from stepping into first/business seat area even when they need to use the bathroom, or from using bathrooms before all first/business passengers finish their business with it. Even though there are some rules like this, which will be quite unacceptable, the purserette of Delta 605 didnt even bother to explain these policies to me in order to help me understand why I should not stay there to wait and use the restroom. Also, she didnt even bother saying please?, would you?, or any words and expressions that indicates that she was politely asking me to step back. She even refused to give me her name when I asked. I had to get her name by staring at her name tag.
It has been quite okay with me that Delta never leaves the airport on time or has never enough blankets or no pillows because I am quite used to it. If its the way they treat their passengers violating their right to be treated as respectable passengers when they are with a very offensive, condescending, and humiliating mannersI cant believe Delta will ever provide proper and needed services to any passenger it has. Does Deltas service discriminate people according to the colors of their skin, their ages, and seats they are sitting on? I guess that must be my last flight with Delta ever.
Kristin of Navarre FL (05/01/08)
I had a puppy shipped as cargo from a reputable breeder that had a bad experience in the past about shipping a puppy with Delta. She was aprenhesive on using Delta because a puppy didn't connect the next flight in past experience. I too had the same problem. Only I tracked the flight have cell phone number/texting updated information. I get to the airport waiting on my puppy. I get a phone call 5 mins after flight landed and they did NOT get my puppy to the connecting flight. They took the puppy to the Pet Room NOT THE CONNECTING FLIGHT.....resulting in my puppy going to some country bumkin kennel subcontracted by Delta. DO NOT SHIP ANIMALS WITH DELTA!
I am requesting at least a 100% refund, plus the time, inconvenience, and gas spent. I will NOT except anything less. They had better hope my healthy puppy does NOT get sick or there will be a lawsuit.
Donnie of Brooklyn NY (04/29/08)
My connecting flight was canceled around 5:30 on a Sunday evening. I was then shuffled around to a half dozen different gates over a 5 hour period asked to wait to see if I could get a flight. The flights weren't even going to my desintation- but 90 minutes out of my way. Yes flights are cancelled due to weather- but why are these passengers treated like lepers...no vouchers, no reimbursement. Hopefully I will get on a flight tomarrow, but no guarentees. Everything is overbooked.
I lost a day of work. I was in a plce probably worse than hell and airline,,,waiting at gates for 5 hours- and running to new gates (being told I could possibly get on that flight.) I am a fifty year old man. I feel wiped out after running around to gates in the airport all evening. RUDE Delta agents. i wish I could take a 24 hour train I paid for a direct flight- I didn't get that direct flight I eventually got a series of connecting flights.
Sharman of Tallahassee FL (04/14/08)
I was scheduled to leave from LAX airport on Delta flight 74 to Atlanta at 8:45 AM, April 5, 2008.
I waited in line at baggage check-in
90 minutes prior to boarding. Their sign stated to be there 45 minutes ahead,
so I was there well ahead of schedule. Unfortunately, the only guy at baggage check-in moved at a snail's pace. I only had 4 people in front of me, so I was sure it would be fine. By the time he got to me,he said he would have to take me inside. He had my ticket in his hand and disappeared behind a counter. About 15 or 20 minutes later he reappeared, led me to a phone, handed it to me, and said it was too late to get on my flight
as he walked away! I then hung on the phone for another 10 minutes before someone finally came on.
When I booked another flight, I was told I would be charged an additional $549.00. They had me over a barrel.
My original flight was still on the ground! After realizing I wouldn't be conned into a $100 voucher, finally, a lead agent at the Delta counter told me I would be reimbursed. But now Delta is refusing. I have attempted emailing Delta's customer service several times and always get a negative reply. To make matters worse, they left my baggage in Atlanta where I connected to another flight.There has got to be a way to be reimbursed for their errors and ineptness. If you can offer any help,
I would greatly appreciate it.
They charged me an additional $549. to get a flight home, when it was clearly their fault that I did not make my flight (I was there 90 min. before boarding!)
I had to call for a ride and stay an additional day in Los Angeles which cost me a fortune. Then they left my baggage in Atlanta where I caught a connecting flight.
Cheryl of Midlothian VA (04/02/08)
It is no wonder there are so many complaints about the airline industry in general, my recent flights with DELTA were awful. I have never had a worse experience. Especially when we were to leave PUJ on 3/29 flight 242. My husband and I stood in line for over 3 hours, our plane was boarding and still no one took care of booking us on the flight (there were only two agents, and both were asleep on the job). If not for some very angry passengers, raising a ruckus, and us cutting through security, we would still be in PUJ. It is my understanding that there were families that had to grease some hands to get taken care of.
Not only were there problems at PUJ, when we reached Atlanta we sat on the tarmac for about two hours until a gate became available. We couldn't wait for our luggage to deplane since the bag belts were broken, we therefore just left them in Atlanta. We ran for our plane, and they closed the doors behind us. Our luggage was delivered to our home yesterday. I understand there is a problem with all the airlines, but the Delta agents were the worst. All the other Airline (i.e. American, Continental, ect.) passengers at PUJ, were booked on their planes without a hitch. Running for a plane is one thing, but running for two planes (I am a severe asthmatic) is unheard of.
Dan of Bay St Louis, MS (03/23/08)
I stopped flying Delta about 3 yrs ago because of the poor customer service. Yesterday, I had a flight cancelled and was placed on a Delta flight from Raleigh to Gulfport/Biloxi. I can tell you nothing has changed. The flight attendants were rude, the flight was late leaving the gate, the toilet did not work and they lost my bag. I arrived at 10 pm and was told my bag would be delivered by 10 am the next morning. I was then told it would be delivered by 3:00 m and then told it would be delivered within 12 hrs. of when it was picked up by the courier service, which was 4:00 pm.
I finally called a woman named Lona, who described her lofty title as Baggage Floor Mgr and was told that Delta can hold a bag as long as they want and only have to deliver it within 12 hrs of when it is picked up by the courier. She then hung up on me. I have never seen ANY business as hostile toward its customers as Delta. I believe part of the reason is that the folks in the South have historically felt some type of regional loyalty to it. I am the exact type of customer most airlines want--I fly about once every three weeks, always first class and many international flights. Last year Delta probably lost about 150k in revenues just from me alone. I urge the flying public to speak with your pocket books and don't fly Delta.
Amber of Bend OR (02/24/08)
Was given Delta Transportation Credit Vouchers after being on an over-booked flight and charging me an extra $55 for a piece of luggage that was lost and found and put on the flight after the initial baggage cutoff. I have tried to use the travel vouchers on many occasions, but each time I go to the airport to use them, the flights are $300+ more than their advertised fairs, and the vouchers are only worth $200. When I asked if I could book on line and then apply the vouchers, they said yes, but when I showed up a few hours later at the ticket counter, they refused to credit me the vouchers. I talked to three customer service reps and they offered no solution to vouchers. So, I'm actually the original $55 and the two trips to the airport, and I'm stuck with useless vouchers I will never use.
Ann of Cutchogue NY (02/20/08)
My family and I were flying in and out of Portland, Maine, on our way to visit family. We left from JFK early on a Saturday morning. We were the only ones at the counter. The agent there even commented to us about it being so early and not crowded. When we arrived at Portland, we were missing one of our bags. We were told it would be on the next flight, and we could wait until it arrived or they would deliver it to us. We opted for the delivery. We were told we would have the bag by 5:00 pm then it was 9:00 am the next day. Then it was noon. The bag did arrive a bit after noon. We had to buy some items--toothbrushses, etc. This is not our fault and a minor inconvenience, although an annoyance. On the return trip we were at the airport 2 hours early and decided to have some lunch; this took us longer than expected, as did going through security. We were almost through, when we heard an announcement of our names and that we had 30 SECONDS to get to the gate. The board still showed the plane had not even landed yet!
As we arrived we saw the walk way door closed. They would not let us board. I understand the rules, and this was sort of our own fault. The complaint is our treatment after, by the representative at the desk. He was the most rude, surly person I have come across in a long time. He told us there were no more flights out that night, and it was our own fault, and proceeded to belittle us in front of our child! We never lost our temper, at least I didn't as I sent my husband to check the other airlines. My husband was quite upset at the way he spoke to us. The rep tried to talk us into taking a flight to Cleveland, and then we could maybe get a flight in the morning, or maybe take a bus to Boston and get a flight. Of course the flight he was talking about was an hour and ten minutes away when we were at least 3 hours by bus from the flight! We finally decided to pay for 3 more airfares on another airline. While we were waiting on that line, he walked over to the agent and said in his best stage whisper, "See, I just gave you some more business, these idiots missed their flight with us." UNBELIEVABLE ! I WILL NEVER FLY DELTA AGAIN!
Donna of Cleveland OH (02/13/08)
I was coming home on Sunday 2/10/08 from Tobago (TAB) in the southern Caribbean. Delta now has a direct flight to and from Atlanta (ATL). I had a connecting flight to Cleveland, where the temperature was well below freezing. I had a cat with me and our flight was flight #220 on Delta Airlines, Tobago to Atlanta. I made arrangements with Delta to take my cat in the cabin with me, got all the necessary paperwork and shots. The vet only had a large cage, though, so I rebooked Brick to travel in cargo (Delta rep. on the phone just said Okay! It's all set! never advising me of any temperature restrictions). Tobago is an amazing and beautiful country, but access to goods is sometimes hard to come by, so I had to take what the vet there could sell me.
There were so many things wrong with flight 220, including a few security issues such as unattended luggage that security personnel just ignored. In my correspondence since Sunday with Delta no one has asked me about that. The pilot even apologized twice to the entire flight for the bad customer service, saying it was the worst he had ever witnessed. Because of the inept ground crew, we left almost 3 hours late. But what happened to me personally is the counter crew in Tobago would NOT accept my cat as baggage, even though the arrival temp would have been above the minimum requirement of 45 degrees in Atlanta. What he (the counter manager in charge) said was that he couldn't accept the cat because it was 40 degrees in Atlanta. That was the current temp. at 6:30-7am EST, not the arrival temp, which was 63 degrees when we got to ATL. According to the Delta web site the forecasted arrival temp. is what is supposed to be used to determine whether or not a pet can be checked in cargo. The counter manager in Tobago would not help me solve the problem of getting my cat to Cleveland.
I asked if I could buy a small cage (no, he didn't have any) so I asked if I could send her by pet baggage to ATL, then buy an under-the-seat cage (knowing that ATL is the Delta hub and so cages would be available). My goal was to get Brick home safely to Cleveland. When we landed in ATL, I talked to both the pilot of the flight as well as the on-board crew. They were horrified, as was the Delta reservationist who rebooked our flight to Cleveland (we'd missed our connection). In retrospect, I wish I had talked to the pilot when I boarded, but by then my cat had been picked up by a friend who is staying through this week. Since then, I've been dealing with customer service and they just don't seem to understand. Customer service in ATL on Sunday wasn't helpful. The response to an email that I sent yesterday was to offer me $250 in flight vouchers, to regain my confidence in Delta. The vouchers are not good for cargo (should I be able to find someone to take the cat to the airport) and a ticket at the last minute to Tobago is much more than that. I'm willing to go back down there to retrieve her this weekend: It's a once-a-week flight: Sat. ATL to TAB and Sunday TAB to ATL After this weekend, I'm not sure who will be around to feed my cat. She is is resourceful, but I would like her to have a be home in in Cleveland where she belongs.
It's the cost of airfare to and from Tobago from Cleveland. Cat may need new paperwork, so there could be vet costs. Renting a car in Tobago to get to the vet. I don't think I can put a price tag on the emotional cost that I've suffered since Sunday. I am a wreck.
Aleen of Campbell CA (02/08/08)
We recently flew on 5 different airline when we went on a trip to Alaska. Delta was the only airline that we had problems with - and the problems with Delta were very upsetting. I felt attacked.
As a Summery: First they charged $50 for being one lbs over on one of our three bags (there were three of us so we could have had 6 bags.) We were not given a change to take anything out to make the bag lighter - it would have been very easy for us to do. It was over - we understood that but why couldn't they help us quickly take care of the problem. No scales to check beforehand like some airlines.
Second, when ask why the check-in machine gave us each different boarding passes (one received one boarding pass, another two boarding passes and the third was given one boarding pass and two confirmations) we were incorrectly told that we would be on different flights for the second part of our trip. This was very upsetting and we latter found this information was totally incorrect.
Third, When I ask why we would be on different flights, one Delta Employee asked who had booked our flight. When I told her Expedia she actually started almost yelling, Don't blame me for a problem that Expedia made, if you are willing to book through Expedia then you'll have to live with the problems. She actually kept bad mouthing Expedia until I finally just left. I'm sure a lot of their business comes from on-line bookers and I don't think it is a good company policy to be talking about them in such a rotten manner. Our trip was very complex and I don't know that we could have done it any other way.
Fourth, Both of the employees who were checking in our baggage were rude - very rude - totally unhelpful. They yelled at us, but we did not yell at them. It was not a busy morning, very few in line, so no reason for them to be in a hurry and rude.
Fifth, when we got to our first city in Alaska we wanted to check to see if our baggage was still with us, so we were ask for our baggage tickets and found that neither person checking our bags in SLC had given us any baggage ticket. Only our daughter had been given one. Thankfully our baggage made it, if not we would have had no way to find our baggage. We fly a lot and I've never had such a stupid experience with airline employees. Bad News.
Ricardo of Pocono Pines PA (12/11/07)
On March 20th 2007, my friend and I bid and won a trip to Italy including airfare and hotel to Rome and Florence, and paid for it. Because of my friend having a bout with cancer at the time, we elected to postpone the trip until Sept 10th, 2007. Once in Rome we decided to forego the air trip to Florence because we could take the train for less than the trips to and from the airport for the flight to Florence alone. About 9 AM in the morning on the day before we were scheduled to return, we had the desk clerk from our hotel call the airline and reconfirm the trip. Delta was provided our names, the dates and flights, our current hotel name and room, as well as the hotels phone number; we were never notified of any problem. The next morning, while checking in at the Alitalia ticket counter at the airport in Florence to return to Rome and connect to our flight to the US (JFK), we were informed by the clerk on the Alitalia desk that Delta had canceled the rest of our itinerary.
I was then given a phone number in Rome, called the number from a public phone at the airport in Florence and spoke to an agent from Delta--using whatever Euros coins I had left. I was rather desperate and scared. Instead of being in any way helpful or even sympathetic, the Delta agent became totally belligerent and started screaming at me repeatedly that it was obvious that they had canceled the rest of our itinerary since we had changed our reservation. I calmly tried to reason with this man and replied to him that this matter obviously had not been so obvious to us, that we had never changed anything, that we had simply elected not to use one segment of our itinerary, and that had we known that such action represented any actual change we would obviously not have done so since we were now stranded in Florence. I also told him we had reconfirmed the morning before; he then simply just hung up on me. No rules relating to the fact that not using a specific segment of the itinerary would invalidate the rest of it (Contract of Carriage) were ever communicated to us, the passengers, in any way, at any time. I had paid Delta for my transportation and elected not to use a small portion of such but to go by train instead. I fail to see how this was detrimental to Delta in any way.
We were then in danger of missing both the flight from Florence to Rome and then the connection in Rome to NY; furthermore we no longer had any place to stay anywhere in Italy. Such tickets as well as the airport commission cost us 1,346.34 Euros (or $1,992.58 plus the currency exchange commission) for us to buy once more our way back home. I was lucky that my credit card took the charge since otherwise we would have remained stranded in Florence indefinitely. The State of Pennsylvania Attorney General Office has informed us that Delta will not negotiate any settlement, and they cannot proceed with any legal action against Delta Airlines because under Pennsylvania's Consumer Protection Law, the Commonwealth must establish a pattern or practice of deceptive or unfair conduct in order to pursue such action. If anyone has had any similar experience with Delta Airlines would you be so kind as to report it?
tickets as well as the airport commission costs us 1,346.34 Euros (or $1,992.58 plus the currency exchange commission) for us to buy once more our way back home.
Nikhil of Fairfax VA (12/02/07)
I was traveling on Delta Airlines from Cleveland to Baltimore with a stop at Cincinnati. The flight from Cleveland to Cincinnati was fine. In Cincinnati, I had a wait time of 3 hrs. Due to some delayed arrival of a Delta aircraft, I had to wait an extra 2 hrs to board my flight to Baltimore. I reached the destination 3 hrs later than expected. It was obviously their fault. I asked the Delta representative whether he could arrange some sort of transportation as I missed my last metro bus/rail and he just said NO. That was so unkind of him. I have decided not to travel on such airlines again who are not concerned about thier customers.
The delays made me miss my metro bus and the last available train. Being a student, I could never afford a cab. I finally took a shuttle which cost me $60 and took me 3.5 hrs to reach home. I expected to reach home at 10 PM but reached home at 3 AM .
Marcia of Charlotte MI (11/29/07)
In 2006, my granddaughter and I opted to give up our seats on a flight to Florida in exchange for vouchers valued at $200 ea to be used within one year of issuance. No problem.
In November 2007, I called Delta to make reservations for my sister and I to fly to Florida the end of November to help care for our elderly mother. I asked if the voucher issued in my granddaughter's name could be used for my sister's ticket and was told yes, but I had to purchase the ticket at the Delta counter at the airport. Again, no problem.
I went to the airport that same day, presented the vouchers to who seemed to be a newer employee because he kept asking his co-worker questions about what he was doing. End result is I got the two tickets.
Two days prior to flight, I got an email stating we could print off our boarding passes thus saving time at the airport. I went to do that and found that my sister's ticket was still in my granddaughter's name. I called the airline and spoke to a most unreasonable and unpleasant female in their customer service department. She insisted I made the reservation by phone and for my granddaughter. That's ludicrous since my granddaughter was never going on this trip. The woman refused to be reasonable and did end up re-issuing the ticket in my sister's name, but charged us a $75 fee. This was Delta's fault, not mine, and because of this incident, I will be cancelling my and my granddaughter's SkyMiles account and me and my family will never fly Delta again. Nor will as many friends as I can advise of this incident.
Peter of Honolulu HI (11/28/07)
Returning from a Europe trip July 28, 2007, two single male passengers with Million Mile and Gold Medallion Status were bumped from their first class seats to coach in spite of Delta's advertised priority seating due to Medallion status or Million Mile status, and in spite of the fact that others in first class did not have those priority statuses. The lead agent, N. Brown, at ATL airport was rude and insolent and the attitude was--take these seats or don't take the flight. A $400 credit and 20,000 miles credit on a full-pay first class ticket was given ONLY after compensation was requested.
A complaint letter was sent to Delta, and Ms. Tuitt, Corporate Customer Care Manager, offered only feeble public relations responses and would not address the issue regarding the failure to honor advertised priorities in seating due to Medallion or Million Mile status. This leads me to believe all the frequent flyer status promotions are hype. Given the rude treatment and lack of candor in addressing the complaint, Delta certainly has become our airline of last choice! So much for the rewards of medallion and million mile status! Bah humbug!
Therese of Jacksonville FL (11/28/07)
I spent the week of Thanksgiving in Paris and had booked my flight with Delta. On the way to France from Atlanta, I had the usual Delta flight: uninspiring, narrow seats, mediocre service, TV in my aisle not working. On the way back, I arrived in Paris Charles de Gaulle two hours early, went to Delta, saw a long line, and started waiting. I was accompanied by my ex-husband, who had a later flight to Boston. After 15 minutes, he checked with an attendant whether there was a way to go faster, as my flight was by then less than two hours later. She obligingly brought me to customer service and they started processing my ticket immediately, although they said that they had already closed the list of passengers. The employee managed to get me into the system but I was rejected, as all seats were taken. I was told that Delta always overbook their flights ( I am not surprised, I have waited two hours in a plane under the threat that we would never leave unless someone gave their seat up!). Apparently, I should have checked in by internet the evening before.
I was directed to someone else to rebook my flight. The employee was very obliging, but told me that Delta had changed their policy and that now, if a plane was full, they considered that the passenger had missed their flight. They did not have to reschedule his/her flight. In fact, I had to BUY another ticket (this with over one hour BEFORE the flight). I could leave the same evening for 5,000+ euros or the next day for 2,900 euros. My ex-husband asked whether he could use his frequent flyer miles, and the employee obtained permission to use them. Since my husband had only 45,000 miles, my ticket was reserved but not paid for. He had to purchase an additional 5,000 miles on the internet for $147 later on and had to pay almost $400 tax on the flight. My only consolation was that I was put on an Air France flight, where the food is good, the service was impeccable, the TV individual and worked and the drinks free.
I missed two days of work, was almost $600 out of pocket. I had to pay for an additional hotel room, meals, etc. I will not mention the stress.
Andrea of Grand Island NY (11/25/07)
I arrived at Philadelphia airport 2 hrs early for flight scheduled for 10:15AM to Buffalo, NY. The flight was delayed as were the 2 planes next to us with mechanical problems. 3 hours later, about 1 PM, the flight was officially cancelled. Delta could not accomodate us on a flight so they put us on US Airways. The Delta rep insisted we pick up our checked luggage (at Terminal A) and take it over ourselves to USAirways (at Terminal F) for check-in. We boarded the US Airways flight at 5:40PM after spending 9 1/2 hours at the Philadelphia airport.It was a clear day - no weather problems. No problems at all traveling on Thanksgiving Day. This incident took place 2 days later, on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend when the airport was not crowded.
We tried to be as prepared as possible but no one could prepare me for this. Besides being a diabetic, I have a curviture of the spine and spinal stinosis and my husband has a recent hip replacement. Delta and US Airways have wonderful people manning the wheelchairs but even they could not believe that after Delta made reservations with US Air, we had to pick up our luggasge and find a way to get over to another terminal. The Employees felt sorry for us and helped us onto an employees bus to get us from terminal A to Terminal F. Then we had to start all over with the check-in and screening process. I was pretty shook up by this time and unfortunately was randomly searched. Without proper eating, dangerously swollen feet from all the sitting, and all the stress of the day, I was very shakey. Delta should have handled our luggage so we didn't have to leave the secure part of the airport. Delta should have aborted the flight earlier so that we had a better chance to get on another earlier flight or at least return to our relatives in Philadelphia where we we could have been cared for until the new flight. I cannot adequately describe the pain I felt sitting and waiting for such a long time. I should have been given more options. Needless to say it was a very difficult day for both of us.
Fady of Floral Park NY (10/12/07)
My wife and I went to JFK airport (Delta Airline) for trave to the Dominican Republic. As soon as we showed my wife's passport which is Egyptian, at the Delta ticket counter, the problems began. The attitude was really bad even though I am an American citizen. I even asked them "What is going on?" They were not wearing ID tags, so I asked for the lady's name, and she refused to give it to me. They startedt making fun of my wife not speaking good English. I could not believe what I saw and heard today. By the way, I am a JFK employees. One of the bags was overweight 3 pounds, and the other bag was 26 pounds LESS, and they asked me to open my bags to move 3 pounds from it. We had only 2 bags. This treatment at the Delta counter seemed to be 100% discrimination.
Janet, R.N., of Everet MA (03/31/07)
For the 10th time, my boyfriend and I had connecting flight on march 16 from LA to Boston. Knowing that there was a storm in boston, the fool went to try to land in logan airport and couldn't.. so with that, he landed at bradley at about 9pm. I was supposed to work in the ER the next day. We got off the flight and were told there were no accommodations anywere. Well, there were. In fact, the crew stayed where we stayed at the Ramada Inn. laughing and drinking it up. Why couldn't they not lie, and even offer us crumbs as we departed the plane. Delta stinks.
Sammy of Midland MI (03/15/07)
I was traveling with my wife and brother from Detriot Metro on 03/02-07 @1.30 pm the flight was delayed for what ever reason due to that I missed my flight going to San Juan PR and they did not book us on another flight or put us up in a hotel due to that i had pay 150 dollars to the best western for one night I think We should be compensated for my trouble and headaches.
Pathan of Mumbai OTHER (03/10/07)
I was detained before checking at Mumbai Airport by staff of Delta Airlines for useless & baseless questioning. inspite of having valid passport; valid USA visa and confirmed air ticket 0f 11th March at 0105 a.m. [reserved 3 months advance]. I was not allowed to get boarding pass ; asked to go back otherwise I will be deported in my own country.
Joan of Milford CT (02/25/07)
We were supposed to travel from Hartford Connecticut to JFK airport, on Feb 18th to connect to a flight to San Diego leaving at 5:35. At first we were told that the airline was going to supply us with bus transportation to New York. That never happened. When we finally boarded our plane, the stewardess told us that the captain was calling ahead to tell New York that we would be a little late and to hold the plane. We were further told that an escort would be there to guide us to our gate of departure. When we finally arrived in New York there was a hold up, as we had to wait for stairs to depart from the plane. When we finally got off of the plane there was no one there to escort us, so we all ran to the gate of departure, just to see our plan fly off without us. We now had to leave the airport and return to ticketing. We called Travelocity to see what they could do for us. We first entered our phone # and the reply was we didn't find anything. Next they requested our trip ID and again the reply was the same. We repeated this process three times. The ticket agent that we reported to was fantastic. He hooked us up with a 2am flight to Atlanta, Ga. Unfortunately, the flight never left until 4:30AM because they needed to clean the plane.
Consequently, we never arrive in San Diego until noon time on Monday.
Beverly of Rochester NY (06/28/06)
I did not add a city and state because I had bad service at 3 airports on my round trip. I had the WORST airport experience of my life this week dealing with your airline.I was first scheduled to board Delta Air Lines #5543 departure time 10:05am on June 21. Shortly AFTER this departure time is then announced that the flight was delayed. This left the Rochester, NY airport 1 hour later. Clearly there was a known weather delay. The attendent then set up standby flights for the passengers with tight connection. I then arrived at my connecting airport, Cincinnati, OH. I missed that connecting flight. I asked the woman at the gate about my flight and she also informed me that I had missed my flight. she also confirmed my seat on my next flight. I then went to the gate of my standby to confirm my seat. The ladies at the desk also confirmed my seat. I then walked around the airport for 3 hours only to find out that when the time came to be seated on the flight the attendent informed me that the plane was full.
I had to then go through Chicago, IL and connect from there to reach Richmond before night fall. I arrived at 8pm. This was a wasted day for me. I missed all appointments that day. On June 26 my Delta #5122 flight was scheduled to leave at 4:10pm. It left about 55 minutes late. My issue on the return flight invloves my baggage. We arrived late and I had to leave the airport without my baggage. The baggage had not arrived. My number was taken down and I was told that I would be called at the time that my baggage came in and my baggage would be delivered by 8am. i called into 18003258224 to check on my baggage. i was told it was being track, i would be called when my baggage came in, dont go to the airport because they were very busy. I respected that untill my 4th call of the day. I was told to call back in a 2 hours on the first 3 calls. I only came across my baggage by going up to the airport myself, against the suggestion of the phone operators.
I found my baggage, myself, shortly before 4pm June 27. Over and over i asked about my baggage and i was told it was still in Atlanta. That was not true. It had been in the rochester airport all morning, since 3am June 27. My baggage handle was broken in 2, where the scannable lable could be placed, my bag was labled no tag. Something needs to be done about this. Yes. I did talk to a supervisor about this over the phone and nothing was done. I love to fly ,but after this disater, I no longer have any plans to fly any time soon.
Nathalie of Barre VT (06/24/06)
I flew from Boston to JFK airport with a connection to Brussels Belgium, on flight 140, on June 23rd,2006 with my 2 daugthers. I was a long day, the first flight was 1h15min, with a layover in JFK for over 4hours plus another 6h30 minute flight to brussels. When I was on the luggage claim one of my luggage was missing, the one that include my clothes and one of my daughter, I went to report it, and they mentioned they were still at JFK, what Im upset is that even the person on standby got their suitcases. So I called Delta airline to see if they could help and they were the rudest person I even been in contact with;
I have no clothes, and also my 10th year old, I have no choice tomorrow to get some because of their smell, even after a shower it still there, I have no night clothes and also Brittany tonight. I feel dirty and don't even dare to go out, my daugther clothes got dirty during the flight and I feel uncomfortable to bring her places.
Rebecca of Jacksonville FL (06/06/06)
I spoke with Annie Bell (Delta CSR) at 2:28 pm and I advised that I would like to book a flight from Atlanta to San Franciso on July 13, 2006-July 17, 2006. I advised that I was a Delta Sky Miles member and she stated that they were not Sky Mile seats available. I also advised that my father received a voucher during travel. She took my information and advised that my father and I could travel together. The total was $348.61. As she was taking my father's information the phone was disconnected. I called back and asked for Annie Bell. Sam Daniel advised that he could not route me back to Annie Bell. I was frustrated because I spent 20 minutes on the phone explaining everything to her. He quoted $661.00.
I called back within 2 minutes. I requested a manager and both Sam Daniel and Ms Ewing stated that our managers do not take phone calls. I'm a manager in customer service and we strive to satisfy our customers, even if it requires us to take a phone call. This was the worst service that I have ever received in my life and the CSRs showed zero concern.
Don of Memphis TN (11/1/02):
On flight 2192 departing Memphis 5:05 pm the flight attendant crew was very rude. One flight attendant stated, "I can't believe there are still people as stupid as the ones on this flight."
I felt like an unappreciated customer. You are already uncomfortable on Delta. I think they have more rows of seats than other airlines because I have never felt so enclosed.
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July 7 2008
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